SEOUL—In a historic first, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled to meet with opposition leader Lee Jae-myung on Monday. This meeting, set for 2 p.m. at the presidential office, marks the first interaction between the two leaders since President Yoon assumed office in May 2022. The session, initially planned for one hour, may extend further and will include three aides from each side.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this meeting comes in the aftermath of the Democratic Party's significant victory in the parliamentary elections held on April 10, where it secured 175 seats out of 300 in the National Assembly. The victory positions President Yoon as the first leader since the country's democratization in 1987 to govern with a parliament controlled by the opposition throughout his five-year term.
The talks between President Yoon and Lee Jae-myung are notably agenda-free, following unsuccessful preliminary discussions to establish one. Lee, having previously presented a list of demands, is anticipated to prioritize discussions on revitalizing the livelihood of the populace and adjusting the governance approach.
According to Yonhap News Agency, The demands include the implementation of a cash handout of 250,000 won (approximately US$182) to each citizen, a request for a special counsel investigation into a Marine's death last year, and an apology from Yoon for rejecting several bills initiated by the Democratic Party.
Moreover, Lee is expected to propose the creation of a four-party consultation body to address the deadlock in medical reform, involving both ruling and opposition parties, the government, and the medical community. Another critical topic of potential discussion is the pursuit of a special counsel investigation into allegations of stock price manipulation involving the first lady, Kim Keon Hee.